castles of Greece

Amfissa ('Salona'; 'La Sole')

History/Description:
It is not clear when the Frankish county of Salona was
formally established and the medieval castle built; one
source suggests Frankish troops were defeated, and their
leader Thomas d'Autremoncourt killed by Greek forces in
1210, so they must have been in possession soon after
the conquest. The Greeks held Amfissa until at least
1218 (Lock, 47, 81). Following the battle of Halmyros in
1311 and the death of another Thomas d'Autremoncourt, it
was awarded to Roger Deslaur of the Catalan Company. It
submitted to Bayezid I 1394, though the Hospitallers
held it briefly from 1404. It was one of the first
castles occupied in the War of Independence.

There's plenty to see at Amfissa, from the main gate
with its jumbled masonry styles, through the pine filled
enclosure to the keep. It is surrounded on all sides by
steep drops, apart from the N where the keep is located.
The road north to the castles at Lamia and Neopatras
passes through some wild mountains and must have been a
dangerous journey in unsettled times. A few miles away
on the Gulf of Corinth at Itea are the foundations of a
medieval tower by the sea which was the port for the
Catalans, a simple roadstead with ships being unloaded
by boats.

Directions: Though it looks
close to the town, it's a fair walk from the town centre
to the castle gates. On the same road, but before
reaching the castle, up a turning on the left, and in
the country, is the 12th century church of Ayios Sotiris
which is worth seeing, featuring some re-used classical
stonework and two sundials on the S. side.

Sources:

Polygonal, monolithic and medieval masonry, topped by a 1940's
'pill-box'.